We threw my parents a surprise 50th & 60th Birthday party on Saturday, the 20th! I was impressed with everyone and myself how we managed not to slip the surprise out. This was hard for me especially when we live 3 miles away from my parents and the fact that we started planning this back in June.

First we had to get the backyard ready by raking up the rocks to the sides. Dad came over the other week and saw our backyard. Of course he had to constantly ask what we were up to and if we were putting grass in. I played along with the grass idea because I just wanted him to stop asking us questions!

My dad already took the week off of Thanksgiving since his best friend was already planning on coming for the week. The next task was to get my mom to take the week off. I was in touch with her co-worker, who is a dear family friend of ours, to see if mom could take the week off without knowing. We planned on it and it was all set….until we found out she had a huge project that had to be completed by the end of the month. So I had to come up with another plan on top of the plan to get her to finish it before taking the week off. I told her a “surprise guest” was coming on Sunday and was going to stay the week and that I recommended her taking the week off. She finally finished the project after working late nights and weekends. Although she kept asking me who it was and tried to get me to give her a hint. I wasn’t letting her have it at all!

Our out-of-town guests were from Seattle & Texas…

• Uncle Don & Aunt Lee (mom’s brother)
• Cousin Dana & her husband Matt
• Haley & her boyfriend Chase (close friend from elementary)
• Merri & Doug (Haley’s parents)

Haley & Chase were first to arrive Friday night after driving 17 hours from Austin, Texas just for the party. We stayed up getting ready for the party and hoped my parents wouldn’t just swing by.

Saturday morning we all got up early to clean and put up more decorations. My mom’s best friend brought over the rental tables & chairs. Rahul, a dear friend, was awesome enough to pick up the cake and keg for us. Haley picked up her parents and my aunt & uncle from the airport.  And my sweet darling husband was kind enough to go out and buy a new vacuum a few hours before the party because ours decided to stop working on the day of the party.

I ordered plastic records so we could put them up on the wall for the party. I didn’t like what was on the inside that read something like “Rock n’ Roll”. So Haley and I cut up some paper that I had from Michael’s and put them in.

Of course I had to get some silly props including buttons for them to wear at the party!

Party favors! Aunt Lee had ordered these vintage candies from the old days and had them shipped to me. These were great! Haley’s boyfriend, Chase, decorated the brown paper bags.

Some vintage candies included candy cigarettes, treats and candies from See’s, candy cigars and fireballs!

I tried making my own pom pom’s but had no time nor patience to do it again and again so I ordered them. Haley, Chase and I spent a good amount of time assembling them together.

I designed the invitations and sent them out late September.
(Psst…see that bird? I got him for $9 from Kohl’s!!)

Tyler put lights up from the house to the fence a few days before the party. See the patio heater stand? We bought that for my parents for their Birthday and thought we could use it at the party too!

I had a cake made by Kelsey (a friend’s friend).

The theme of the party was “come in mourning”.

Some of our guests! Some were in the kitchen and our out-of-town relatives wanted to be a 2nd surprise so they came a few minutes after the actual surprise.

My parents thought we were going out for dinner at a really nice restaurant. Mom’s best friend, Sandy, and her boyfriend went over for drinks and then drove them to our house so we could “follow them to dinner”. I texted mom earlier that day and told her I had a present for her and wanted her to open it before we go to dinner. She said she wasn’t going to open it until the next day because it wasn’t really her Birthday yet. Grr! So I texted Sandy and told her that mom was being stubborn and she said she would convince them.

My sister texted me when they were close to arriving and I got all the guests into the living room for the surprise. It felt like a really long wait! AND finally they rang the doorbell!

[Part 2 coming soon, I promise. The party was so much fun that it deserves two posts.]